tin (Sn) | chemical element | Britannica.com chemical element Earth Tin (Sn), a chemical element belonging to the carbon family, Group 14 (IVa) of the periodic table . It is a soft, silvery white metal with a bluish tinge, known to the ancients in bronze, an alloy with copper . Tin is widely used for plating steel cans used as food containers, in metals used for bearings, and in solder. The origins of tin are lost in antiquity. Bronzes , which are copper–tin alloys, were used by humans in prehistory long before pure tin metal itself was isolated. Bronzes were common in early Mesopotamia , the Indus valley, Egypt, Crete, Israel, and Peru . Much of the tin used by the early Mediterranean peoples apparently came from the Scilly Isles and Cornwall in the British Isles , where tin mining dates to at least 300–200 bce. Tin mines were operating in both the Inca and Aztec domains of South and Central America before the Spanish conquest. The symbol Sn for tin is an abbreviation of the Latin word for tin, stannum.

Occurrence and distribution The element is present in the igneous rocks of Earth’s crust to the extent of about 0.001 percent, which is scarce but not rare; its abundance is of the same order of magnitude as such technically useful elements as cobalt , nickel , copper, cerium , and lead , and it is essentially equal to the abundance of nitrogen . In the cosmos there are 1.33 atoms of tin per 1 × 106 atoms of silicon , an abundance roughly equal to that of niobium , ruthenium , neodymium , or platinum . Cosmically, tin is a product of neutron absorption. Its richness in stable isotopes is noteworthy. carbon group element: Tin occurs in grains of the native metal but chiefly as stannic oxide, SnO2, in the mineral cassiterite , the only tin mineral of commercial significance. The metal is obtained from cassiterite by reduction (removal of the oxygen) with coal or coke in smelting furnaces. No high-grade deposits are known. The major sources are alluvial deposits, averaging about 0.01 percent tin.

The oldest tin mines were those in Cornwall, which were worked at least as early as Phoenician times but are no longer of major consequence, and Spain. Lode deposits, containing up to 4 percent, are found in Bolivia and Cornwall. China led the world in tin production in the early 21st century, accounting for nearly half of all production; Indonesia , Peru, and Bolivia were also top producers. Several processes have been devised for reclaiming the metal from scrap tin or tin-plated articles. (For a full treatment of tin mining, refining, and recovery, see tin processing .) Properties of the element carbon (C) Tin is nontoxic, ductile, malleable , and adapted to all kinds of cold-working, such as rolling , spinning , and extrusion . The colour of pure tin is retained during exposure because a thin, invisible, protective film of stannic oxide is formed spontaneously by reaction with the oxygen of the air. The low melting point of tin and its firm adhesion to clean surfaces of iron , steel, copper, and copper alloys facilitate its use as an oxidation-resistant coating material.

Tin exists in two different forms, or allotropes: the familiar form, white (or beta) tin, and gray (or alpha) tin, which is powdery and of little use. The gray form changes to the white above 13.2 °C (55.8 °F), rapidly at temperatures above 100 °C (212 °F); the reverse transformation, called tin pest, occurs at low temperatures and seriously hampers the use of the metal in very cold regions. This change is rapid only below −50 °C (−58 °F), unless catalyzed by gray tin or tin in the +4 oxidation state , but is prevented by small amounts of antimony , bismuth , copper, lead, silver , or gold normally present in commercial grades of tin. Periodic Table of the Elements White tin has a body-centred tetragonal crystal structure , and gray tin has a face-centred cubic structure. When bent, tin makes an eerie, crackling “cry” as its crystals crush each other. Tin is attacked by strong acids and alkalies, but nearly neutral solutions do not affect it appreciably.

Chlorine , bromine , and iodine react with tin, but fluorine reacts with it only slowly at room temperature. The relationships among the allotropic modifications of tin can be represented as transformations from one crystal type to another at specific temperatures: Britannica Stories Methane Surge Worries Scientists (The double arrows signify that the transformation occurs in both directions, as tin is heated or as it is cooled.) Tin exists in two oxidation states, +4 and +2. Elemental tin is readily oxidized to the dipositive ion in acidic solution, but this Sn2+ ion is converted to the Sn4+ ion by many mild oxidizing agents, including elemental oxygen. Oxidation under alkaline conditions normally gives the tetrapositive (Sn4+) state. In an alkaline medium, dipositive tin (Sn2+) disproportionates readily to tetrapositive tin and the free element.

Tin has 10 stable isotopes, occurring in the following percentages in natural tin: tin-112, 0.97; tin-114, 0.65; tin-115, 0.36; tin-116, 14.53; tin-117, 7.68; tin-118, 24.22; tin-119, 8.58; tin-120, 32.59; tin-122, 4.63; and tin-124, 5.79. Uses Tin-plating of iron protects the latter from corrosion; tin piping and valves maintain purity in water and beverages; molten tin is the base for (float) plate-glass production. Because pure tin is relatively weak, it is not put to structural uses unless alloyed with other metals in such materials as bronzes, pewter , bearing metals, type metals, lead-based solders, bell metal, babbitt metal , and low-temperature casting alloys.

Tin oxide , in which tin is in the +4 oxidation state, is useful in making ceramic bodies opaque , as a mild abrasive, and as a weighting agent for fabrics. Tin fluoride and tin pyrophosphate, in which tin is in the +2 oxidation state, are used in dentifrices. Organic tin compounds act as stabilizers in certain plastics and as wood preservatives. A crystalline alloy with niobium is a superconductor at temperatures as high as 18 K (−427 °F) and retains this property in very strong magnetic fields. Elemental tin is apparently nontoxic, and quantities of tin up to 300 parts per million, as dissolved by foods packaged in tin-plated containers and cooking utensils, are not harmful. Organic tin compounds commonly used as biocides and fungicides are, however, toxic to human beings. Compounds Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest Tin forms two series of compounds: stannous, in which tin is in the +2 oxidation state, and stannic, in which it is in the +4 state.

Some of the more commercially important stannous compounds are stannous chloride, SnCl2, used in tin galvanizing and as a reducing agent in the manufacture of polymers and dyes; stannous oxide, SnO, employed in making tin salts for chemical reagents and for plating; and stannous fluoride, SnF2, an active ingredient in toothpastes. Stannic compounds of significance include stannic chloride, SnCl4, widely used as a stabilizer for perfumes and as a starting material for other tin salts; and stannic oxide, SnO2, a useful catalyst in certain industrial processes and a polishing powder for steel. Tin can form a bond with carbon, as in the more than 500 known organotin compounds . Organotin stabilizers are used to prevent changes in polyvinyl chloride upon exposure to light and heat. A number of organotin compounds are major ingredients in biocides and fungicides. Element Properties Tin»the essentials [WebElements Periodic Table] Element News Tin: the essentials Ordinary tin is a silvery-white metal, is malleable, somewhat ductile, and has a highly crystalline structure.

Due to the breaking of these crystals, a "tin cry" is heard when a bar is bent. The element has two allotropic forms. On warming, grey, or α-tin, with a cubic structure, changes at 13.2°C into white, or β-tin, the ordinary form of the metal. White tin has a tetragonal structure. When tin is cooled below 13.2°C, it changes slowly from white to grey. This change is affected by impurities such as aluminium and zinc, and can be prevented by small additions of antimony or bismuth. The conversion was first noted as growths on organ pipes in European cathedrals, where it was thought to be the devils work. This conversion was also speculated to be caused microorganisms and was called "tin plague" or "tin disease". Tin resists distilled, sea, and soft tap water, but is attacked by strong acids, alkalis, and acid salts. Oxygen in solution accelerates the attack. When heated in air, tin forms SnO2. It is, or was, used to plate steel, making "tin cans". Tin is used as one component in bell metals.

Second ionisation energy : 1411.8 kJ mol‑1 Isolation Isolation : tHere is normally little need to isolate tin metal in the laboratory as it is readily available commercially. Tin is commonly available as the mineral cassiterite, SnO2. Reduction of this dioxide with burning coal results in tin metal and was probably how tin was made by the ancients. SnO2 + 2C → Sn + 2CO Read more » Tin has the most stable isotopes (10) of all elements. Tin isotopes are used in a variety of applications. Sn-112 is used as precursor in the production of the radioisotope Sn-113 while Sn124 is used for producing Sb-124. Sn-116 and Sn-117 can both be used for the production of the medical radioisotope Sn-117m which is used in treating bone cancer. Both Sn-118 and Sn-119 have been evaluated for the production of Sn-119m.

Tin (Sn) | AMERICAN ELEMENTS ® Isotopes About Tin Tin, an element known since antiquity, is a nontoxic metal that can appear either silvery and malleable or dull grey and brittle, depending on it’s crystalline form. Its chemical symbol Sn is derived from the latin stannum, which originally referred to a mixture of silver and lead , but came to refer to tin by the 4th century BCE. The english “tin” has germanic roots, but its origins are otherwise unknown. As a key component of the first intentionally produced alloy, bronze , tin played a key role in the development of human civilization. As tin ore deposits are distributed unevenly throughout the world, widespread use of the metal necessitated the development of trade networks connecting distant tin sources to tin-poor regions. Prior to the development of bronze-making techniques, copper had been used widely in decorative and functional applications, but its utility was limited by its softness. Pure tin, likewise, did not have ideal properties for metalworking. Adding tin to copper produces an alloy more workable than tin but harder than copper , that additionally is easier to melt and cast.

This technological development enabled the production of stronger tools and weapons, and was therefore so revolutionary that we now regard its discovery in any given human society as ushering them into the “Bronze Age”. Though the “Bronze Age” was followed by the “Iron Age” and the eventual rise of steel and aluminum as the most commonly used metals, copper-tin alloys have retained a significant place in industry. They are valued for their resistance to corrosion, particularly in uses where they are exposed to salt water, as in ship propellers and submerged bearings. Unlike many other metals, bronze does not produce sparks when struck against a hard surface, and is used to produce tools for use in the presence of flammable gasses. Additionally, the alloy has notable acoustic properties and low metal-on-metal friction, lending it to use in musical instruments such as bells and cymbals and in springs and bearings respectively. Tin has also been used in other alloys such as pewter, and in soft solders either with lead or, more recently, silver and copper . It can also be used in almost pure form for punched tin art and as a low-toxicity and corrosion-resistant plating for steel, as seen in tin cans.

Commercial tin is almost never entirely pure, as intentionally added trace impurities are necessary to prevent “tin-pest”, the conversion of metallic tin to brittle crystalline form at low temperatures. Molten tin is necessary for the process used in making most window glass, termed “float glass” as the extremely smooth, flat surface is produced by forming the glass on the surface of molten tin. Additionally, tin-nickel electrodes are used in some types of lithium ion batteries. The novel material stanene which, analogous to the carbon material graphene , is composed simply of tin atoms arranged in a single layer, exhibits the unique property of acting as a topological insulator, conducting electricity without energy loss like a superconductor, but only at the edges of the material. Materials that exhibit this property are of interest for use in next-generation integrated circuits enabling the production of smaller, faster, and more energy efficient computers. Several tin compounds also have important applications. Indium tin oxide is a conductor that can be applied by physical vapor deposition in a transparent film, and is used in liquid crystal displays, touch panels, organic light-emitting diodes, solar cells, and defrosting coatings for airplane windshields.

Tin dioxide is a white powder used to opacify or impart white color to ceramic glazes, polish multiple types of hard surfaces, and as a protective coating on glass. Additionally, it may be used in detectors for carbon monoxide or other gasses. Organotin compounds are important in industrial chemistry, where they are especially noteworthy for acting as PVC stabilizers less toxic than the cadmium -based alternatives, and in laboratory organic synthesis. These compounds may also be used as biocides or preservatives. Finally, niobium tin is a superconducting compound that can withstand higher temperatures and greater magnetic field strengths than comparable materials, and therefore finds use in superconducting materials. Tin metal is produced mostly from its primary ore cassiterite. This tin oxide is reduced to tin metal in the presence of a carbon source, and subsequently purified as necessary for a given application. Increasingly, recycled scrap metal is also a notable source of tin. + Open All Tin-119 Oxide Isotope Tin compounds sprayed onto glass are used to produce electrically conductive coatings. These have been used for panel lighting and for frost-free windshields.

Most window glass is now made by floating molten glass on molten tin (float glass) to produce a flat surface. Crystalline tin-niobium alloy is superconductive at very low temperatures. This promises to be important in the construction of superconductive magnets that generate enormous field strengths but use practically no power. Tin is the basis for many eutectic alloys . The discovery by early man that copper could be better formed and crafted if tin were added produced the first bronze and launched what we refer to as the "Bronze Age". An important tin compound is the chloride, which is used as a reducing agent and as a mordant in calico printing. Tin is also used in various metal alloys (See AE Alloys ). Tin is available in many specific states, forms and shapes including pellets , rod , wire and granules for evaporation source material purposes. Tin oxides are available in forms including powders and dense pellets for such uses as optical coating and thin film applications. Oxides tend to be insoluble. Tin fluorides are another insoluble form for uses in which oxygen is undesirable such as metallurgy, chemical and physical vapor deposition and in some optical coatings.

Tin is available in soluble forms including chlorides , nitrates and acetates . These compounds are also manufactured as solutions at specified stoichiometries. Tin Properties Tin is a Block P, Group 14, Period 5 element. The number of electrons in each of Tin's shells is 2, 8, 18, 18, 4 and its electronic configuration is [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p2. The tin atom has a radius of 140.5.pm and its Van der Waals radius is 217.pm. In its elemental form, CAS 7440-31-5, tin has a silvery or gray appearance. Tin is commonly extracted from the mineral cassiterite, SnO2. The origin of the word tin comes from the Latin word Stannum which translates to the Anglo-Saxon word tin. Tin information, including technical data, safety data, high purity properties, research, applications and other useful facts are discussed below. Scientific facts such as the atomic structure, ionization energy, abundance on earth, conductivity and thermal properties are also included. A Chemical Safety Assessment has not been carried out.

16. OTHER INFORMATION Safety Data Sheet according to Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 (REACH). The above information is believed to be correct but does not purport to be all inclusive and shall be used only as a guide. The information in this document is based on the present state of our knowledge and is applicable to the product with regard to appropriate safety precautions. It does not represent any guarantee of the properties of the product. American Elements shall not be held liable for any damage resulting from handling or from contact with the above product. See reverse side of invoice or packing slip for additional terms and conditions of sale. COPYRIGHT 1997-2016 AMERICAN ELEMENTS. LICENSED GRANTED TO MAKE UNLIMITED PAPER COPIES FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY. Tin Isotopes Thirty-nine isotopes of tin are known. Ten of those are stable and have a wide variety of commercial applications. Tin has more stable isotopes than any other element. Nuclide Tin Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements Tin Facts Tin Facts Tin Chemical & Physical Properties This is a blob of tin metal. Tin is a crystalline silvery-white metal.

When a bar of tin is bent, it emits a crackling 'tin cry' as the crystals are broken. Jurii, Creative Commons License Electron Configuration : [Kr] 5s2 4d10 5p2 Word Origin: Anglo-Saxon tin, Latin stannum , both names for the element tin . Named after Etruscan god, Tinia; denoted by the Latin symbol for stannum. Isotopes: Twenty-two isotopes of tin are known. Ordinary tin is composed of nine stable isotopes. Thirteen unstable isotopes have been recognized. Properties: Tin has a melting point of 231.9681°C, boiling point of 2270°C, specific gravity (gray) of 5.75 or (white) 7.31, with a valence of 2 or 4. Tin is a malleable silvery-white metal which takes a high polish. It possesses a highly crystalline structure and is moderately ductile. When a bar of tin is bent, the crystals break, producing a characteristic ' tin cry '. Two or three allotropic forms of tin exist. Gray or a tin has a cubic structure.

Upon warming, at 13.2°C gray tin changes to white or b tin, which has a tetragonal structure. continue reading below our video What are the Seven Wonders of the World This transition from the a to the b form is termed the tin pest . A g form may exist between 161°C and the melting point. When tin is cooled below 13.2°C, it slowly changes from the white form to the gray form, although the transition is affected by impurities such as zinc or aluminum and can be prevented if small amounts of bismuth or antimony are present. Tin is resistant to attack by sea, distilled, or soft tap water, but it will corrode in strong acids , alkalis, and acid salts. The presence of oxygen in a solution accelerates the rate of corrosion . Uses: Tin is used to coat other metals to prevent corrosion. Tin plate over steel is use to make cans for food. Some of the important alloys of tin are soft solder, fusible metal, type metal, bronze, pewter, Babbitt metal, bell metal, die casting alloy, White metal, and phosphor bronze.

The chloride SnCl·H2O is used as a reducing agent and as a mordant for printing calico. Tin salts may be sprayed onto glass to produce electrically conductive coatings. Molten tin is used to float molten glass to produce window glass. Crystalline tin-niobium alloys are superconductive at very low temperatures. Sources: The primary source of tin is cassiterite (SnO2). Tin is obtained by reducing its ore with coal in a reverberatory furnace. Element Classification: Metal It's Elemental - The Element Tin It's Elemental Melting Point: 505.08 K (231.93°C or 449.47°F) Boiling Point: 2875 K (2602°C or 4715°F) Density: 7.287 grams per cubic centimeter Phase at Room Temperature: Solid Element Classification: Metal Period Number: 5 Group Number: 14 Group Name: none What's in a name? From the Anglo-Saxon word tin. Tin's atomic symbol comes from the Latin word for tin, stannum. Say what?

Tin is pronounced as TIN. History and Uses: Archaeological evidence suggests that people have been using tin for at least 5500 years. Tin is primarily obtained from the mineral cassiterite (SnO2) and is extracted by roasting cassiterite in a furnace with carbon . Tin makes up only about 0.001% of the earth's crust and is chiefly mined in Malaysia. Two allotropes of tin occur near room temperature. The first form of tin is called gray tin and is stable at temperatures below 13.2°C (55.76°F). There are few, if any, uses for gray tin. At temperatures above 13.2°C, gray tin slowly turns into tin's second form, white tin. White tin is the normal form of the metal and has many uses. Unfortunately, white tin will turn into gray tin if its temperature falls below 13.2°C. This change can be prevented if small amounts of antimony or bismuth are added to white tin. Tin resists corrosion and is used as a protective coating on other metals. Tin cans are probably the most familiar example of this application.

A tin can is actually made from steel. A thin layer of tin is applied to the inside and outside of the can to keep the steel from rusting. Once widely used, tin cans have largely been replaced with plastic and aluminum containers. Tin is used in the Pilkington process to produce window glass. In the Pilkington process, molten glass is poured onto a pool of molten tin. The glass floats on the surface of the tin and cools, forming solid glass with flat, parallel surfaces. Most of the window glass produced today is made this way. Tin is used to form many useful alloys. Bronze is an alloy of tin and copper . Tin and lead are alloyed to make pewter and solder. An alloy of tin and niobium is used to make superconductive wire. Type metal, fusible metal, bell metal and Babbitt metal are other examples of tin alloys. Tin salts can be sprayed onto glass to make electrically conductive coatings. These can then be used to make panel lighting and frost-free windshields. Stannous fluoride (SnF2) is used in some types of toothpaste.

Estimated Crustal Abundance: 2.3 milligrams per kilogram Estimated Oceanic Abundance: 4×10-6 milligrams per liter Number of Stable Isotopes: 8 ( View all isotope data ) Ionization Energy: 7.344 eV Tin | Define Tin at Dictionary.com tin noun 1. Chemistry. a low-melting, malleable, ductile metallic element nearly approaching silver in color and luster: used in plating and in making alloys, tinfoil, and soft solders. Symbol: Sn; atomic weight: 118.69; atomic number: 50; specific gravity: 7.31 at 20°C. 2. any shallow pan, especially one used in baking. 4. any pot, box, can, or other container or vessel made of tin or tin plate . 5. Chiefly British. a hermetically sealed can containing food. 7. Slang. a small quantity of an illicit drug, especially from two to five grams of cocaine: usually sold in a small plastic bag, a glassine envelope, or often a small tin container. 8. made or consisting of tin or tin plate .

10. a set of tin values. 11. indicating the tenth event of a series, as a wedding anniversary. verb (used with object), tinned, tinning. 12. to cover or coat with tin. to coat with soft solder. 13. Chiefly British. to preserve or pack (especially food) in cans; can. 14. to cover (windows and doors in an abandoned or unoccupied building or apartment) with sheets of tin to prevent vandalism or occupancy by vagrants, squatters, etc. Origin of tin Old English 900 before 900; (noun) Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch, Old Norse tin, German Zinn; (v.) Middle English tinnen, derivative of the noun Related forms retin, verb (used with object), retinned, retinning. TIN Examples from the Web for tin Expand Contemporary Examples Few homes have diesel for the tin stoves they rely on for heat in the coldest winter that anyone can remember. Helter Smelter No More: Moving to Conflict Free Minerals Intel June 25, 2014 It is made of copper and tin, and is worth about four bucks.

Auld Licht Idylls J. M. Barrie British Dictionary definitions for tin Expand noun 1. a metallic element, occurring in cassiterite, that has several allotropes; the ordinary malleable silvery-white metal slowly changes below 13.2°C to a grey powder. It is used extensively in alloys, esp bronze and pewter, and as a noncorroding coating for steel. Symbol: Sn; atomic no: 50; atomic wt: 118.710; valency: 2 or 4; relative density: 5.75 (grey), 7.31 (white); melting pt: 231.9°C; boiling pt: 2603°C related adjectives stannic stannous 2. Also called (esp US and Canadian) can. an airtight sealed container of thin sheet metal coated with tin, used for preserving and storing food or drink 3. any container made of metallic tin 4. (NZ) fill her tins, to complete a home baking of cakes, biscuits, etc 5. Also called tinful. the contents of a tin or the amount a tin will hold 6.

(Brit & Austral, NZ) corrugated or galvanized iron: a tin roof 7. any metal regarded as cheap or flimsy 8. (Brit) a loaf of bread with a rectangular shape, baked in a tin 9. it does exactly what it says on the tin, it lives up to expectations verb (transitive) tins, tinning, tinned 11. to put (food, etc) into a tin or tins; preserve in a tin 12. to plate or coat with tin 13. to prepare (a metal) for soldering or brazing by applying a thin layer of solder to the surface Derived Forms Old English; related to Old Norse tin, Old High German zin Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for tin Expand n.

Old English tin, from Proto-Germanic *tinom (cf. Middle Dutch and Dutch tin, Old High German zin, German Zinn, Old Norse tin), of unknown origin, not found outside Germanic. Other Indo-European languages often have separate words for "tin" as a raw metal and "tin plate;" e.g. French étain, fer-blanc. Pliny refers to tin as plumbum album "white lead," and for centuries it was regarded as a form of silver debased by lead. The chemical symbol Sn is from Late Latin stannum (see stannic ). Tin-type in photography is from 1864. Tin ear "lack of musical discernment" is from 1909. Tin Lizzie "early Ford, especially a Model T," first recorded 1915. Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. tin in the Bible Expand Heb. bedil (Num. 31:22; Ezek.

22:18, 20), a metal well known in ancient times. It is the general opinion that the Phoenicians of Tyre and Sidon obtained their supplies of tin from the British Isles. In Ezek. 27:12 it is said to have been brought from Tarshish, which was probably a commercial emporium supplied with commodities from other places. In Isa. 1:25 the word so rendered is generally understood of lead, the alloy with which the silver had become mixed (ver. 22). The fire of the Babylonish Captivity would be the means of purging out the idolatrous alloy that had corrupted the people. Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary Chemistry for Kids: Elements - Tin Tin 7.365 grams per cm cubed Melting Point: Discovered by: Known about since ancient times Tin is the fourth element of the fourteenth column of the periodic table. It is classified as a post-transition metal . Tin atoms have 50 electrons and 50 protons with 4 valence electrons in the outer shell. Characteristics and Properties Under standard conditions tin is a soft silvery-gray metal .

It is very malleable (meaning that it can be pounded into a thin sheet) and can be polished to a shine. Tin can form two different allotropes under normal pressure. These are white tin and gray tin. White tin is the metallic form of tin we are most familiar with. Gray tin is non-metallic and is a gray powdery material. There are few uses for gray tin. Tin is resistive to corrosion from water. This allows it to be used as a plating material to protect other metals. Where is it found on Earth? Tin is found in the Earth's crust primarily in the ore cassiterite. It is generally not found in its free form. It is around the 50th most abundant element in the Earth's crust. The majority of tin is mined in China, Malaysia, Peru, and Indonesia. There are estimates that the minable tin on Earth will be gone in 20 to 40 years. How is tin used today? The majority of tin today is used to make solder. Solder is a mixture of tin and lead that is used to join pipes and to make electronic circuits.

Tin is also used as a plating to protect other metals such as lead, zinc, and steel from corrosion. Tin cans are actually steel cans covered with a plating of tin. Other applications for tin include metal alloys such as bronze and pewter, the production of glass using the Pilkington process, toothpaste, and in the manufacture of textiles. How was it discovered? Tin has been known about since ancient times. Tin was first heavily used starting with the Bronze Age when tin was combined with copper to make the alloy bronze. Bronze was harder than pure copper and was easier to work with and cast. Where did tin get its name? Tin gets its name from the Anglo-Saxon language. The symbol "Sn" comes from the Latin word for tin, "stannum." Isotopes Tin has ten stable isotopes. This is the most stable isotopes of all the elements. The most abundant isotope is tin-120. Interesting Facts about Tin When a bar of tin is bent, it will make a screaming sound called a "tin cry". This is due to the breaking of the crystal structure of the atoms. Pewter is a tin alloy that is at least 85% tin.

Other elements in pewter generally include copper, antimony, and bismuth. White tin will transform into gray tin when the temperature falls below 13.2 degrees C. This is prevented by adding small impurities to white tin. Bronze typically consists of 88% copper and 12% tin. More on the Elements and the Periodic Table Tin - Element information, properties and uses | Periodic Table Chemistry in its element: tin (Promo) You're listening to Chemistry in its element brought to you by Chemistry World, the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry. (End promo) Chris Smith Hello, this week the element that changed the course of industry and also gave birth to the Bronze Age. We find out why the Romans came to Britain and why your organ can go out of tune in winter perhaps irreversibly. But tin fans should watch out because much of what we call tin isn't. Katherine Holt Tin cans, tin foil, tin whistles, tin soldiers.....these are that things that come to mind when we think of tin. Which is unfortunate, as tin cans are actually made from steel; tin foil is made from aluminium and tin whistles....well you get the idea.

To be associated with a list of obsolete consumable items is especially unfortunate for tin, when we consider that it was responsible for literally changing civilisation! Have you heard of the Bronze Age? Well, some enterprising metal workers at the end of the Stone Age discovered that the addition of a small amount of tin into molten copper resulted in a new alloy. It was harder than copper but also much easier to shape, mould and sharpen. This discovery was so revolutionary that that Bronze Age was born - a name given to any civilisation which made tools and weapons from this alloy of copper and tin. So important was tin that the secrets of its trade were closely guarded. The ancient Greeks spoke of the 'Cassiterides ' or 'Tin Islands' which were believed to lie off the north west coast of Europe. These mysterious islands have never been identified and probably never existed. All the Greeks knew was that tin came to them by sea and from the north-west and so the story arose of the tin islands. It is likely the tin came from northern Spain and from Cornwall. In fact, the strategic importance of the Cornish tin mines is considered one of the reasons why the Roman Empire invaded Britain.

Tin may have played another historical role - this time in the defeat of Napolean's army in the Russian campaign of 1812. It has been claimed that in the severe cold the tin buttons on the soldier's uniforms disintegrated into powder, leading to severe loss of life from hypothermia. The accuracy of this story is debatable, but the transformation of tin from a shiny metal into a grey powder at low temperatures is chemical fact. In the cold winters of Northern Europe the loss of tin organ pipes as they began to disintegrate into dust has been known for centuries as 'tin pest', 'tin disease' or 'tin leprosy'. This process is actually a very simple chemical transformation of one structural form of tin - silvery, metallic 'white tin' or 'beta tin' - into another - brittle, non-metallic 'grey tin' or 'alpha tin'. For pure tin the transition occurs at 13.2 oC but the transition temperature is lower, or does not occur at all, if there are enough impurities present, for example if tin is alloyed with another metal.

A modern day problem with 'tin pest' has thus arisen, as the tin-lead alloys used to coat leads in electrical equipment have sometimes been replaced with pure tin due to new environmental legislation. In cold temperatures the metallic beta tin coating transforms into non-conducting, brittle alpha tin and falls off the leads. The loose alpha tin powder then moves around inside the equipment, but because it is non-conducting it doesn't cause a problem. However, in warmer temperatures this alpha tin powder transforms back to conducting beta tin, leading to short circuits and all kinds of problems. The way to defeat 'tin pest' is to mix tin with other metals, and these days tin is mainly used to form alloys - for example bronze, pewter and solders. Since tin is the most tonally resonant of all metals it is used in bell metals and to make organ pipes, which are generally a mix of 50:50 tin and lead. The proportion of tin generally determines the pipe's tone. And so we return to the humble tin can. Although not made from tin, cans are often coated with tin on the inside to prevent corrosion.

So while it may now seem that tin plays a small role in our everyday lives, remember that once it figured in the rise and fall of civilisations. Chris Smith So it was the tin that lured the Romans to Britain - funny that, there was me thinking it was the wonderful weather. Telling Tin's tale was Katherine Holt from UCL. Next week the substance that makes you see red. Brian Clegg If you are listening to this podcast on a computer with a traditional colour monitor Europium will be enhancing your view of the Chemistry World website. When colour TVs were first developed, the red pixels were relatively weak, which meant the whole colour spectrum had to be kept muted. But a phosphor doped with europium proved a much better, brighter source of red and is still present in most surviving monitors and TVs that predate the flat screen revolution. Chris Smith And you can hear from Brian Clegg how the power of Europium was harnessed in the first place and how it was discovered on next week's Chemistry in its Element, I hope you can join us. Until then, I'm Chris Smith, thank you for listening and goodbye.

(Promo) Chemistry in its element is brought to you by the Royal Society of Chemistry and produced by thenakedscientists.com . There's more information and other episodes of Chemistry in its element on our website at chemistryworld.org/elements . (End promo) Tin Appearance and Characteristics Harmful effects: Tin is considered to be non-toxic but most tin salts are toxic. The inorganic salts are caustic but of low toxicity. Organometallic compounds of tin are highly toxic. Characteristics: Tin is a silvery-white, soft, malleable metal that can be highly polished. Tin has a highly crystalline structure and when a tin bar is bent, a ‘tin cry’ is heard, due to the breaking of these crystals. In compounds tin is usually in the divalent state (Sn2+) or tetravalent state (Sn4+). It resists oxygen and water but dissolves in acids and bases. Exposed surfaces form an oxide film. When heated in air, tin forms tin(IV) oxide (stannic oxide) which is feebly acidic. Tin has two allotropic forms at normal pressure, gray tin and white tin.

Pure white tin slowly tends to become the gray powder (gray tin), a change commonly called ‘tin pest’ at temperatures below 13.2 oC. Gray tin has no metallic properties at all. Commercial quality tins are resistant to tin pest as a result of the inhibiting effects of minor impurities. Uses of Tin Tin is used as a coating on the surface of other metals to prevent corrosion. ‘Tin’ cans, for example, are made of tin-coated steel. Tin can be rolled into thin foil sheets (tinfoil). Present day ‘tinfoil’ to cover or wrap food is usually made from aluminum. Alloys of tin are commercially important in, for example, soft solder, pewter, bronze and phosphor bronze. Tin chloride (stannous chloride, SnCl2) is used as a mordant in dyeing textiles and for increasing the weight of silk. Stannous fluoride (SnF2) is used in some toothpastes.

Abundance and Isotopes Abundance earth’s crust: 2.3 parts per million by weight, 0.4 parts per million by moles Abundance solar system: 9 parts per billion by weight, 0.1 parts per billion by moles Cost, pure: $24 per 100g Cost, bulk: $1.80 per 100g Source: Tin very rarely occurs free in nature. The chief ore is cassiterite (SnO2). The metal is prepared from cassiterite by reducing the ore with coal. Isotopes: Tin has 35 isotopes whose half-lives are known, mass numbers 100 to 134. Tin has ten stable isotopes, the most of any element.

Naturally occurring tin is a mixture of its ten stable isotopes and they are found in the percentages shown: 112Sn (1.0%), 114Sn (0.7%), 115Sn (0.3%), 116Sn (14.5%), 117Sn (7.7%), 118Sn (24.2%), 119Sn (8.6%), 120Sn (32.6%), 122Sn (4.6%) and 124Sn (5.8%). The most abundant is 120Sn at 32.6%. Cite this Page For online linking, please copy and paste one of the following: <a href="">Tin</a> or <a href="">Tin Element Facts</a> To cite this page in an academic document, please use the following MLA compliant citation: "Tin." Chemicool Periodic Table. Chemicool.com. 24 Jul. 2015. Web. <

Question: Sn is the chemical symbol for which metal?
Answer: Tin